Extensible ironing board



Jan. 10, 1950 D. H. CLARK EXTENSIBLE IRONING BOARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Oct. 13, 1947 \NVENTOR DELBERT H. CLARK ATTORNEYS Jan. 10, 1950CLARK 2,494,506

EXTENSIBLE IRONING BOARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 15, 194'! \NVENTORguilt H. CLARK ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 10, 1950 1 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE This invention is directed to a novel and very useful structureof ironing board. With the invention the horizontal upper board,uponwhich articles to be ironed are placed, is at a lower level than inthe usual ironing board so that the one operating the iron may sit downwhile at work. As the operator will stay substantially in the sameplace, the board is mounted for movement back and forth in the directionof its length, thereby moving the articles on it to bring new surfacesat the place of those previously ironed. In efiect, this is a reverse ofthe normal practice where the board is stationary and the operator movesto difierent positions along side of it.

It is a primary object and purpose of the present invention to provide avery practical, sturdy construction, one which is very effective anddurable in service, and which may have the article carrying board memberreadily moved to difierent positions, being releasably held in a numberof positions to which it is moved and which, when not in use, may befolded to occupy a minimum of space. The parts from which the structureof the ironing board is made are of metal, except the upper board memberitself. All are readily fabricated with economy, and the assembly tomake a complete structure is easily accomplished.

An understanding of the invention may be had from the followingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the ironing board of my invention infolded position,

Fig. 2 is a similar elevation with the ironing board structure unfoldedan din its operative position,

Fig. 3 is an end elevation thereof,

Fig. 4 is an under plan view and section end portions of the upper boardbroken away, the plane of the section being substantially on the line ofplane 4-4 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section substantially on the plane of line 5-5 ofFig. 2,

Figs. 6 and '7 are fragmentary enlarged transverse sectionssubstantially on the planes of lines 66 and 'l1, respectively, of Fig.4, and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevation of the releasablebracing means for holding the supporting structure and upper boardmember in operative position.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figuresof the drawings, and the sections are taken looking in the directionsindicated by the arrows.

The upper horizontal board member I prefer- 2 Claims. (01. 38 -103) islocated over two parallel bars 2 of the Z-bar form (Fig. 6 and 7) whichserve as supporting tracks for longitudinal movement of the boardthereover. Plates 3, with retaining tongues struck therefrom, aresecured to the underside of the board, the tongues passing underneaththe outer flanges of the bars 2, making a sliding connection of theboard'to the bars.

The bars 2, adjacent the middle portion thereof, are connected by crossbar 4 which is flanged at one edge for reinforcement, and spot weldedtothe upper sides of the inwardly extending flanges of the bars 2. Twoother cross bars 5, one near one of the ends of the bars 2 and the othera short distance from the other ends (Fig. 4), are connected to theunder sides of the inner flanges of the bars 2, and each at each end hasa downwardly extending car, as best shown in Fig. 3.

Supporting legs 6, four in number, are pivotally. connected at theirupper ends to the downwardlyv extending ears on bars 5. The legs inpairs are connected together by upper and lower cross bars I spot weldedthereto (Fig. 3). Between the upper and lower bars I a bar 8 of the formbest shown in Fig. 5, wider at one end than at the other, extendsbetween each pair of legs. Said cross bars 8, at their wider ends, areconnected by a horizontal angle bar 9 spot welded thereto. The narrowerends of the cross bars are pivotally connected to the legs 6 at one sideof the supporting structure and the bar 9, adjacent its ends,

is similarly connected to the legs 6 at the opposite side, so thatrelative turning movement of the bar 9 and the legs 6, about horizontalaxes, may take place.

A bracing link construction includes two links l0 and H overlapping atadjacent ends and pivotally connected together. The link H is pivotallyconnected at its opposite end to the bar 9 and the link ill is pivotallyconnected at the pivot which connects one of the legs 6 of thedownturned ear of its associated cross bar 5 (Fig. 2). The link In atthe end portion thereof where pivotally connected to the link ll extendsbeyond the pivot (Fig. 8). Cooperating stops I2 and a projection l3 andrecess |3a to receive it are formed on the links l0 and II so that whenthey are in alinement, as in Fig. 2, the supporting legs 6 are held intheir vertical supporting position. But by folding the links Inupwardly, th supporting structure may be brought underneath andsubstantially parallel to the board I as shown in Fig. 1. In thisposition it occupies a minimum of space.

ably is of wood, or of an equivalent material. It 88 The inwardlyextending flange of one of the 3 track bars 2, at three spaced positionsin its length, is notched to make notches M as shown (Fig. 4) A latchbar [5 of flat metal is mounted transversely of and at the under side ofthe board l by screw and slot connections of conventional form (Fig. 4)The latch bar 15, adjacent the notched edge of the track 2, is formedwith a downwardly extending U-projection 16 which, at the outer legthereof (Fig. 6) may ride against the inner edgeiof theiflange of:the-track bars? in which the notches 4 are made. When opposite one ofsaid notches, the latching or locking bar [5 is normally moved by atension spring IT to enter the notch to which it comes and holdthe'part:l from movement on the track bars 2. The latching bar l5 has adown-turned hand engaging portion l5a at the end nearest thesidelof theboard at which the one ironing is seated. By pulling outwardly on thehandle portion "l'5a,the latching bar may be moved to release the boardI for longitudinal :movement ".upon the xtra'ckibars 2 until theme-xi:notch lldl'isz-reachemby the downward :U portion l.

:At the under side of the :board Jaand between the middle crossbar R andiOHB'DfftIIB-CIOSSMEYSE;

astop 18 of sheetmetahis-securediby screws, :as shown. This limits:thealong'itudinal movement of the board 1 to the distanceithatthecstopmay travel between'theinnenedges of said bars l and5.

"With the three InotchesflM 'shown, thexboard ii maybe moved to andheldzinithreezdifierentpositions. Qf course, a gr'eater number 10f'saidtlatch receiving notches or recesses M may-be used rif wanted. Thelatchis in the end :n'otches fat :the

two extreme p'ositionso'f movement'ofithe b'oardil.

Theconstructiondescribed is' very sturdy, practical and efiective, andeconomical to :produce. The metal parts are readily fabricated in largequantity production and easily assembled. 3 The structure may be made at.a cost at which itis easily-marketed. 'The invention is de'fined in'the appended claims and is to be'considered comprehensive o'fall 'formsof structure coming 'within their scope.

-I claim: *1. In a structure as described, two spaced horizontalparallel metal tracks having upper outer and lower inner fianges and=a-connecting web tion adapted to be received in any of such re- .1cesses to which the latching means is moved, and

yielding means normally moving said latching means in adire'ction toengage in a recess when brought :thereto.

2. In a structure as described, two spaced horizontal elongated tracks,a horizontal board 10- cated above the tracks in longitudinalparallelism therewith, "means carried by the board in operativeengagement "with the tracks for slidably mounting 'Jthe :boardlthereon,one of said tracks at aninner side'thereof having spaced recessestherein; ailatchin'g'bar slidably mounted on said board forLlimitedmovement transversely of and at Ltheiunderiside :of Ithe 2b"oard, saidbar comprising a bar of zflat :metal shaving between its ends a:downwardlylextendin'g1U portion adapted upon lungitudinalimov'ement ofthe board on the tracks to 'come to said recesses, andspringlmea'ns'normallyim'oving-said'barin a direction'tozpress saiddownwardly :exten'ding lui-rportion of the latching bar against theinner side of th'einotched track, whereby said downwardly extendingportion enterszarecess-when brought rthereto.

:DELBERT CLARK.

REEERENCES CITED The following references are "of record 'in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED-STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 924,945 Stevenson =June' I5, 19091,191,159 Cunningham July 18, 1916 2,611,251 'Mic'helson Aug. 13,1935

